The Last of Us Part II
| designer = | programmer = | artist = | writer = | composer = Gustavo Santaolalla Lorne Balfe | series = | engine = | platforms = PlayStation 4 | released = May 29, 2020 | genre = Action-adventure, survival horror | modes = Single-player }} The Last of Us Part II is an upcoming action-adventure game developed by Naughty Dog and published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Set five years after the events of The Last of Us (2013), players control a 19-year-old Ellie, who comes into conflict with a mysterious cult in a post-apocalyptic United States. The game was announced at a PlayStation Experience event in December 2016, and is scheduled for release on May 29, 2020 for the PlayStation 4. Development Development of The Last of Us Part II began in 2014, soon after the release of The Last of Us Remastered. Troy Baker and Ashley Johnson reprise their roles as Joel and Ellie, respectively. The story is written by Neil Druckmann and Halley Gross. Druckmann is also the creative director, reprising his position from The Last of Us; Bruce Straley, game director on the original game, left Naughty Dog in 2017. Anthony Newman and Kurt Margenau were selected to be game directors for Part II; Newman was previously the melee combat designer for The Last of Us, and Margenau was game director on Uncharted: The Lost Legacy. Gustavo Santaolalla and Lorne Balfe returns to compose the score. Plans for multiplayer were cancelled because resources were shifted to improving the scale of the game. Naughty Dog stated that The Last of Us Part II is the longest game they have made. The Last of Us Part II was announced at the PlayStation Experience event on December 3, 2016. The first trailer revealed the return of Ellie and Joel, whose story takes place five years after the first game. Players control a 19-year-old Ellie; Joel was the primary playable character of the first game, but Ellie was also playable in some sections. Whereas the first game centers on love, Druckmann stated Part II centers on hate. Motion capture began in 2017. The second trailer was released on October 30, 2017, as part of Paris Games Week. It revealed four new characters: Yara (played by Victoria Grace), Lev (Ian Alexander), Emily (Emily Swallow), and an unnamed character played by Laura Bailey. Druckmann stated that the characters "are integral to and Joel's next journey". The game was featured at Sony's Electronic Entertainment Expo 2018 (E3) event on June 11, 2018. Another trailer was featured in the State of Play, a presentation concerning upcoming PlayStation games, on September 24, 2019. It revealed a release date of February 21, 2020. On October 24, Druckmann announced the game has been delayed to May 29, 2020 to allow for more development. Release The game will come in four editions: Standard Edition, Special Edition, Collector's Edition, and Ellie Edition. Different editions come with various collector items as well as items and unlocked abilities in the game, as well as a bonus for pre-ordering the game. Reception While the second trailer was mostly well received, it drew some criticism for its violence. Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe president Jim Ryan defended the trailer, saying the game is "made by adults to be played by adults". Druckmann explained: "We're making a game about the cycle of violence and we’re making a statement about violent actions and the impact they have ... idea was for the player to feel repulsed by some of the violence they are committing themselves." The cutscene featured in the 2018 E3 presentation in which Ellie kisses another woman, Dina (Shannon Woodward), was praised for making a kiss—frequently considered to be difficult to animate—passionate and believable. Critics also praised the improved graphics, enemy AI, and combat. Awards In 2017, The Last of Us Part II was named Most Anticipated Game of the Year from PlayStation Blog, Most Wanted Game at the Golden Joystick Awards, and Most Anticipated Game at The Game Awards; in 2018, it was awarded Most Anticipated Game at the Gamers' Choice Awards, and nominated for Most Wanted Game at the Golden Joystick Awards. It received Special Commendations for Graphics and Sound at the Game Critics Awards in July 2018. Notes References }} External links * * Category:Action-adventure games Category:Horror video games Category:The Last of Us Category:LGBT-related video games Category:Single-player video games Category:Naughty Dog games Category:PlayStation 4 games Category:PlayStation 4-only games Category:Stealth video games Category:Survival video games Category:Upcoming video games scheduled for 2020 Category:Video game sequels Category:Video games developed in the United States Category:Video games featuring female protagonists Category:Sony Interactive Entertainment games Category:Media about cults Category:Video games scored by Lorne Balfe Category:Video games scored by Max Aruj Category:Video games scored by Steffen Thum Category:Video games scored by Sven Faulconer